A variety of loading docks have been devised to adjust to the height of different trailers to properly match the height of the dock to the deck of the trailer. By aligning the height of the trailer and the dock the loading and unloading of cargo is facilitated.
There are many such devices in the prior art. One such device is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,446 to Gould which discloses a reinforced platform pivotally mounted to the ground at one end and includes a support assembly having hydraulic cylinders. In operation the rear wheels of a truck trailer are backed onto the platform and then the non-mounted end of the platform is lifted by the hydraulic cylinders until the deck of the trailer is equal to the height of the dock. A similar device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,792 to Cherry et al. which also discloses a pivotally-mounted and hydraulically-raised platform.
Loading docks of the prior art typically have certain disadvantages. Most moveable loading docks are not very wide and this can pose problems when loading very large containers onto flatbed trucks or trailers. One problem is that if a trailer isn't backed up and aligned very closely and accurately with a loading dock, a fork truck or similar loading vehicle will have a difficult time loading containers into a tight space such as a trailer. Other moveable loading docks of the prior art which are wide are very difficult to ship because special Department of Transportation permits are required for shipping items over 102 inches wide.
It would be desirable to have a mobile loading dock which is secure and safe and which breaks down to under 102 inches wide for easy shipping yet when fully-assembled is large enough for fork trucks and similar vehicles to easily load product into trailers or onto flatbeds.
This device overcomes certain problems and shortcomings in the prior art, including those mentioned above and others, and provides advantages for a mobile loading dock not previously provided.